The drainage basin system

• A drainage basin is the area of land that is drained by a river and its tributaiers
• Drainage basins are open systems
• Inputs

  • Precipitation
• Stores rain water

  • Interception - vegetation store
  • Soil
  • River discharge
  • Lake
• Process - water is moving

  • Stem flow
  • Surface runoff
  • Infiltration
  • Throughflow
  • Percolation
  • Groundwater flow
  • Base flow
• Output

  • Evaporation
  • Transpiration
• stem flow water trickling down these stems of plants and animals.